章 37: The Line of Desperation
The battlefield west of Base Beta was a chaotic inferno, littered with the shattered remains of swarm creatures and mecha alike. The stench of burning metal and scorched flesh filled the air, mingling with the acrid smoke rising from smoldering plasma craters.
Ace gritted his teeth as his mecha drove its blade into another swarm unit, the creature's screech cutting off as it crumpled to the ground. Korrak and the Rigers fought nearby, their movements fluid and deadly. Their plasma lances tore through the swarm with feral precision, leaving a trail of mangled bodies in their wake.
"Pull them toward the west wall!" Ace shouted over the comms, his voice hoarse from barking commands. "We need more mass!"
The defenders were building a grotesque barricade from the corpses of their enemies. Every felled swarm unit was dragged into position, their bodies stacked into a crude, half-moon structure that curved around the west side of the base. The wall funneled the remaining enemies into narrow choke points, where turrets and snipers could pick them off with brutal efficiency.
Korrak's voice rumbled through the comms, steady despite the chaos. "The wall holds, but it won't last forever. Keep stacking!"
Ace's mecha grabbed the shattered remains of a hulking swarm unit and hurled it onto the growing pile. The Rigers followed suit, their mechas working with a speed and precision that belied their massive frames.
Shadow darted between the barricade and the front line, her daggers flashing as she dispatched any creatures that slipped through. "This is insane," she muttered, vaulting over a fallen mecha to land another kill.
"Insanity is all we've got," Wolfe replied, his rifle spitting plasma bolts as he covered her flank. "How's Vega doing, Techie? Is she fine? That Titan's got to move soon right?!"
Inside Base Beta's control hub, Techie was a blur of motion, his hands flying across the console. The Titan stood motionless behind him, its massive form half-sunk into the ground as power conduits snaked around its frame.
"Five minutes!" Techie called out, his voice tight with focus. "I need five more minutes to bring it online!"
"We don't have five minutes!" Captain's voice cut through the comms, sharp and commanding. "The main swarm's closing in, and we're running out of ammo!"
The corpse wall had become a grim testament to their desperation. The swarm slammed against it relentlessly, their bodies piling higher with each wave. Turrets and snipers targeted the creatures funneled through the choke points, but the defenders were tiring.
"We can't keep this up," Shadow said, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps.
"We don't have to," Ace replied, his gaze fixed on the Titan. "We just need to buy Techie time."
Korrak's mecha leaped onto the barricade, plasma lance spinning in a deadly arc. "Focus your fire. Let them break themselves against the wall."
The Rigers roared in unison, their voices a chilling battle cry. They moved with terrifying precision, their plasma lances carving through the swarm as if dancing to an unseen rhythm.
In the control hub, alarms blared as the Titan's systems came online one by one. Techie's heart pounded as he monitored the diagnostics. The machine groaned, its massive limbs twitching as it struggled to wake from its slumber.
"Come on," Techie muttered under his breath. "Wake up, you big lug."
The ground trembled as the Titan's eyes flickered to life, glowing with an intense, golden light. Its limbs unfolded, shedding the conduits that had tethered it to the base.
"It's awake!" Techie shouted, his voice filled with both relief and urgency.
"Good," Captain said. "Now get it in the fight!"
Techie's hands danced over the controls, directing the Titan toward the western battlefield. The massive machine moved with surprising agility for its size, its footsteps shaking the ground.
"Incoming swarm leader!" Korrak's warning came just as a towering behemoth emerged from the horizon. The creature was massive, its obsidian armor gleaming under the harsh light. It let out a guttural roar that shook the air, its clawed limbs tearing through anything in its path.
"Techie, we need that Titan now!" Ace shouted.
The Titan reached the edge of the battlefield and stopped. Its limbs shifted and folded with mechanical precision, transforming it into a massive artillery cannon. Panels on its surface opened to reveal glowing energy conduits, and its barrel began to hum with a low, resonant vibration.
"It's an artillery weapon?" Wolfe muttered, his eyes wide. "That thing's gonna draw every enemy in the zone!"
"Let it," Techie said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "It's built to take the heat."
"But Vega's still inside!" Wolfe protested, his hands tightening on his rifle.
Ace cut in, his tone firm. "We'll protect it. Just focus on taking out the swarm leader."
The Titan's cannon reached full charge, and a deafening boom echoed across the battlefield as it fired. The beam of energy struck the swarm leader square in the chest, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The creature roared in agony but didn't fall.
"One more shot!" Techie yelled. "Keep them off me!"
The defenders rallied around the Titan, their desperation fueling their determination. Plasma bolts and lance strikes lit up the battlefield as the defenders fought to hold the line.
As the Titan's cannon began to charge again, Ace caught a fleeting glimpse of the weapon's frame. Beneath the surface, there were faint markings, almost like calibration numbers—symbols that suggested it wasn't just a weapon but part of something far greater.
"What is this thing really?" Ace muttered to himself, his mind racing even as he fought.
The Titan fired again, its beam slicing through the swarm leader and leaving nothing but a smoldering husk. The remaining swarm faltered, their formation breaking as the defenders pressed their advantage.
For a moment, the battlefield was silent, save for the crackle of fires and the labored breaths of the survivors.
"It worked," Captain said, her voice soft but filled with steel. "We held the line."
But even as the defenders celebrated their hard-won victory, Ace couldn't shake the unease creeping into his thoughts. The Titan had saved them today—but it was clear that its true purpose was still a mystery.
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